Calculus Wars: Newton vs Leibnitz

[n10Newton]

I thought we knew Newton was born in 1642, the year Galileo died. Is that contested?

No date of birth, 25th of December 1642 and 04th of January 1643. Due to Christmas it is officially given DOB of Newton is 25th of December,Year 1642.

 

[jedishrfu]

I want to state this here in Physics Forums for the record and have this quote petrified in history as what I, DiracPool, personally thinks, and here it is..."if I have seen further, then it is because I have stood taller than others." Thank you everyone.

...by standing on stilts."

and since all this discussion is kept on hard drives somewhere in the world remember:

"On a clear disk, you can seek forever..."

 

[DiracPool]

...by standing on stilts."

Shaky stilts at that.

 

[AlephZero]

Hmm..interesting. But, my god, to know that an ocean existed and not make that several mile trek to see it in 80 years?

You don't seem to understand the culture of Newton's time. "Nature" was generally considered to be something yucky and horrible that you avoided as much as poissible, unless you were a peasant and didn't have any option.

Actually, Newton's father was a "peasant" in that sense. He owned a farm, but he was illiterate. His father died three months before Isaac was born. His mother moved up from being a "peasant" by her second marriage to a clergyman - otherwise Isaac would probably have become another illiterate farmer.

The next stage was considering "nature" as something that you could improve on rather that look at in its natural yucky state, but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot_"Capability"_Brown was later than Newton.

If you read "Principia" you will find that Newton was well aware of the different behaviours of ocean tides along coastlines all over the planet, but he didn't have to actually go there see for himself.

 

[DiracPool]

otherwise Isaac would probably have become another illiterate farmer.

This could be a whole "nother" thread of itself. Do you really think circumstance dictates destiny. I would argue the counter, people like Newton, Einstein, and Galileo are cursed to see their visions through, these are obligations brought upon great men who are typically reluctant to be great. That is the truth.